Post-Baccalaureate Teacher Certification Program
The Post-Baccalaureate Teacher Certification Program is designed for those with a bachelor's degree who desire elementary (1-6), secondary (9-12) or middle school (5-9) teacher certification without seeking another degree. Course work may be completed on a part-time basis through University College (the evening division of the College of Arts & Sciences), which offers lower tuition than the day school. Course work is taken for undergraduate credit. This program leads to teacher certification only; no degree is granted through this program. Those interested in teacher certification should contact an education advisor to discuss their options.
Requirements for teacher certification are mandated by the State of Missouri and can be found on the state Department of Education web site.
Professional Education
Washington University's teacher preparation programs provide the professional education that qualifies a student for certification to teach in the public schools. On the recommendation of the Washington University Department of Education, the Missouri State Department of Education will issue a teaching certificate to an individual who successfully completes a Washington University teacher preparation program.
The education course work requires two semesters of field experience observation and a semester of student teaching. Please be aware that the first field experience course require 30 hours of observation in a K-12 classroom during the semester and the second field experience course requires 50 contact hours. The student teaching semester is full-time for 12-14 weeks during the following semester. Teacher candidates cannot work during the day for the duration of student teaching.
Coursework & Certification
The coursework leading to certification varies depending on the program of study.